If you are growing a business, whether you are new or more experienced, you will probably overlook yourself and sacrifice your needs in favour of your business.
We are all guilty of it.
It is how many businesses get off the ground!
But it is simply not sustainable.
If you continue to grind and ignore your basic needs, then you will burn out. And all of your work may have been for nothing.
As someone who has abandoned a business due to burnout, I want to stop that happening to you.
Since my first business, I have learnt exactly what I need to do, and where to prioritise my needs over my business. I am now able to successfully run multiple income streams whilst still feeling happy, healthy and fulfilled.
I want to share with you exactly what to prioritise and what healthy habits you should start to keep your mind creative and your business booming.
Get Enough Sleep
Sleep is an essential part of life. We wouldn’t last very long without it!
But the difference between sleeping for a few hours and getting enough sleep can be the make or break to your health.
Enough good quality sleep will keep you on top form. You will be creative, productive and ready to crush your business goals.
Good sleep will also help you cope with stress better and help your immune system combat any illnesses you may pick up. All of which are important to avoid if you want to keep your business rolling.
I know getting enough sleep is hard when you want to get a lot done in your day. That’s why becoming a morning person has changed my life.
I now sleep 8 hours every night, and have ample time to work whenever I want to. I have already shared how I became a morning person and why it would change your life for the better.
The amount of sleep a person needs can vary based on age and energy but as a general rule try to get 7-8 hours of sleep per night.
Go Outside
It seems like such a simple thing, but you would be amazed how much going outside for 15 minutes everyday can help both your physical and mental wellbeing.
Japan have even made it an integral part of their national health program. Coining “forest bathing” where you simply spend time immersed in nature.
Going outside is proven to reduce your levels of the stress hormone Cortisol. Spending time outside seems to actually calm your body down; both your blood pressure and heart rate can decrease.
So getting outside is a very productive use of your time when managing your business. It can even help you focus more efficiently!
Exercise
I believe exercise is very important for everyone and once it is incorporated into your day to day life it will truly enhance everything you do.
Exercise doesn’t mean you have to go to the gym. You could walk, pick up a sport or even try some home workouts. Personally, I use various workout videos to follow along with at home and it has improved my health and mental wellbeing more than I thought possible.
It is proven that exercise releases a wave of feel-good endorphins that will decrease your stress and actually increase your energy levels for the day- standing you in good stead for the work ahead.
If exercise has never been your thing, then take your time and try out different things until you find the right type of exercise for you.
Track your Progress
When starting a business, sometimes you can get so bogged down in what you have to do next, that you never stop to think about what you have done, and how far you have come.
Tracking your progress each day is a great way to see what you have done and where your business is going.
Keeping a record of the early days is great because you can look back on your business in the future.
If your business is a shop or website then you can track how your traffic changes over time, but be sure not to get obsessed over the numbers. Don’t let them discourage you or hinder your progress.
Every day I write a short sentence or two of what I have achieved and how it has helped me towards my goals. It is a great way to hold yourself accountable and make sure you are actively working towards your dreams.
Start Healthy Meal Prep
The late nights that come with starting and running a business make it very difficult to maintain a healthy diet. Late night snacks and questionable leftovers are the go-tos for a swamped business owner.
They may fill the gap and do the job but they won’t keep you at your best and you will end up in an endless cycle of sugar highs and crashes.
I know, there is no time to stop halfway through a task to make a proper meal, but that is why meal prepping is such a great idea.
You can prepare a few different meals for the week so then you don’t have to stop working on your business once you have started. And you will have a healthy, nutritious meal to enjoy that will keep you going for longer.
Stay Hydrated
No matter what you do, you should always remember to drink enough water. Staying hydrated is essential for all of your bodily functions, and if you don’t your body will be quick to remind you to stop and hydrate.
If you find it difficult to remember to drink or can never seem to drink enough then this 1 Litre BPA Free Water bottle with time markers could be a very smart investment (affiliate). You can carry it with you and always see how much you have drank and how much you need to drink in the upcoming hour.
Stop Sitting
When you’re working on a new passion it is very easy to lose track of time, meaning you could end up sitting for an extended amount of time.
But sitting a lot everyday can increase your risk of many health conditions such as heart disease, obesity and diabetes.
You should try to get up and walk around every 30 minutes, to keep your blood flowing and reduce the risk to your health.
Or if you’re fully ready to commit to a healthier lifestyle you could invest in an adjustable standing desk. This way you can adjust the height of the desk so that you can stand for an hour and continue your work as normal.
Opting to stand for a while instead of sitting all day has been found to decrease stress and fatigue. Participants of a study also reported that using standing desks actually increased their energy levels throughout the day.
Read
Reading will always be beneficial to your health and mind. It can reduce stress, lower blood pressure and improve cognitive function.
But it can help with so much more.
Since starting to read everyday, I have felt so much more inspired and creative with my business.
I find the more you read the larger your world becomes. This will help you have a better understanding of your place in the world and what your business can offer the world.
Reading is a great hobby to start, especially as it will keep you away from your screen and social media for a while.
You can read about business, your hobbies, self-improvement or even fiction.
Reading anything can teach you something and that is a very powerful thing.
“An investment in knowledge pays the best interest”
–Ben Franklin
Plan your Week and Each Day
When I first started my own business, I did not get a dedicated planner or anything. I didn’t plan out what I would do each day, I just sat down and decided on the day.
That was my biggest mistake.
Being your own boss takes a lot of discipline and at the beginning it can be very hard to find the right work life balance. I would only complete one task one day, then punish myself the next day and work for 10 hours straight.
It was not healthy nor efficient.
As soon as I started writing out my goals for the week and the tasks to complete each day my business levelled up!
I suddenly got through everything I wanted to and more, and I only had to work about 4 hours per day!
Planning each day will help you find a healthy work life balance and propel you to reach your goals sooner.
Track your Habits
My favourite habit I have begun since starting my businesses is tracking all of my other habits.
Each day I track if I did exercise, how much water I drank, if I read or meal prepped and how many hours I slept the night before.
I find tracking these small things really encouraging. If I have had a bad day in terms of productivity, I can see and celebrate what other things I have done to help myself.
Not every day is going to be super productive and goal smashing. Some days self-care is the most productive thing you can do for your business.
Tracking your healthy habits will show you how much work you are putting into your business and more importantly into yourself.
You can track your habits in a diary or journal. Or you could find digital habit tracking pages on etsy that you can purchase and download straight away. I find habit trackers make keeping track of my progress much more fun and engaging.
There you have it!
10 Healthy habits to start while growing your business.
Remember each of these are going to help you or your business, but that doesn’t mean you need to start all 10 tomorrow!
Take time for yourself, find your favourite habits that work best for you and don’t feel guilty if you have a bad day or two.
Progress
Over
Perfection
- How to Stay Motivated when starting a New Business
- How to Become a Morning Person and How it Changed my Life
- 19 Passive Income Ideas for Beginners in 2023
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